


radiant

by gealach



Category: Dark Wolverine (Comics), Marvel (Comics), Marvel 616, X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: Family Bonding, Gen, Post-Age of X-Man, References to Depression, References to Filicide, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-27
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-07-23 08:11:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20005099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gealach/pseuds/gealach
Summary: The X-Men are back. Daken sees his sisters again.Coda toUncanny X-Men (2019)#22.





	radiant

**Author's Note:**

> I’m terribly sorry for not updating _Ties that bind_. As I feared, it’s getting difficult to find time to write it. Now I’m trying to find my writing rhythm again; expect perhaps another work before I manage to get my hands on _Ties that bind_ again, I need to do some warming up first.  
> This fic is inspired by the finale to the _Age of X-Man_ run. I did a sort of marathon this week of all the issues and Daken’s absence stuck out like a sore thumb. I saw he doesn’t appear in any solicitation post _House of X_ , too. That’s not good. Give us the sniktblings, Marvel!

It was a miracle, his presence here.

And how glad he was of it. What’s a man to do when he realizes no one even registers his presence? While the first instinct had been to take advantage – to the extent to which he had the will to get out of the house and do anything at all – the second, strongest instinct, invigorated by an inkling of hope, had been to investigate. For what is the sudden disappearance of mutants from people’s minds, if not something the X-Men might involve themselves with? And X-Men activity could mean _news_.

Daken wasn’t a fool. He knew it had been months and he’d absently, with increasing apathy as the truth sank in his old bones, kept tabs on Logan’s little enterprise. He knew even Mystique was working with the scattered remains of the X-Men, and he knew – indeed, he felt it – that this was a moment where he _should_ align with them. To honor his sister, perhaps.

But she was gone.

Laura was gone and Gabby was gone and, other than searching for them and then slowly accepting the truth and hole himself in a safe-house, stupefied with grief, he couldn’t do anything. Anything save for shower from time to time, scour the dark web, and order takeout when his healing factor couldn’t sustain the fasting.

He wasn’t in a good shape, no.

But now, after weeks of nothing, _something._

And so he got out of the house and followed the trails until he found the battlefield, the people fleeing from what looked like robots attempting to take the life of unassuming civilians.

When in truth, they were fighting against Logan’s posse.

Not even then did Daken approach. He scanned the melee instead, and stood watching. Instinct bade him camouflage his scent – it couldn’t do to distract Logan while he fought for his life – and get ready to swoop in at the last possible moment, when it became clear his father was done for. One last hurrah. At least Logan would die knowing his son had finally come – he made a point of texting Daken once a week on the number he _must_ have found on Laura’s phone, to tell him there were no news; he hadn’t bothered to even mention killing Daken while they were both mind-controlled on that boat, and Daken didn’t mind, not really. He was past that. He didn’t care about anything anymore.

At least _he_ ’d die knowing he was honoring Laura and Gabby.

And then… and then.

At the last possible moment, it wasn’t Daken who swept in.

It was the X-Men.

The other X-Men, those that had disappeared months ago. Daken searched frantically, his gaze jumping from ridiculous costume to ridiculous costume, until there… _there_.

His breath shattered and he slammed a hand against the wall to stay upright and there, in the alley he was hiding in, Daken felt his insides mend, the ache he’d come to know so well dulled to a bearable pain.

Laura was magnificent and furious and sharp and Gabby was a little fury, a fast vicious thing, and they were alive. Both alive, bless the world, and he found that he could breathe again.

Afterwards, and a short time later at that – because it was a small affair once the cavalry came – after the posturing for reporters’ and policemen’s sake as mutants’ very existence became known again… he was still there.

Exhilarated and overcome with relief, Daken stood in that stupid alley, in the shadows, knowing he couldn’t very well approach the assembled _heroes_ ; and yet aching to do so. But he didn’t dare it, not even if Laura or even Lorna could vouch for him. But Laura and Gabby looked worse for wear as Logan gruffly confronted them and Lorna seemed traumatized beyond belief, staggering with a hand on her father’s arm, and…

No, this stolen glimpse would have to do. He’d get back home and shower and make himself presentable again, don his armor, and _then_ text Laura. They’d get together and it would be as if nothing had happened at all, as if months hadn’t passed where he mourned them as dead or worse.

He steeled himself to turn around and leave, but as he moved Laura stopped talking to Logan and stared right at him. Daken’s heart skipped a beat.

She waved him closer and now Gabby was looking too, squinting her eyes, her goggles pushed into her hair, a grin slowly forming on her face as she caught sight of him. And Logan, too, his hands awkwardly stuck behind his back, rolling on his heels, a sheepish expression marking his features.

Daken swayed. He didn’t… look very well. But Laura knew this look of his, she’d seen it and nursed him back to health, and hers was the only opinion that mattered.

As he made his way towards them, scattered debris cracking beneath his feet, more X-Men began to take notice.

Maybe because it was difficult to reconcile his unkempt exterior with the suave front most of them were used to, he managed to reach the outskirts of their menagerie of tearful reunions before the first pair of eyes lit with recognition.

But by that point nothing mattered, because Laura had mirrored his march with a fast walk of her own and they met there, at the clashing of their worlds.

“You’re alive,” was out of his mouth because he could think better of it, his voice cracked by lack of use and abject relief.

She nodded, dark bags under her eyes. She’d quietly taken stock of his appearance as she approached him, her mouth a thin worried white line – he could tell she hadn’t realized the extent of the damage while he hid in the shadows, because her eyes contained an apology. She lifted a shoulder minutely, a question in the gesture - ‘ _Do you want to go somewhere else?_ ’ - and he shook his head, too stunned to say anything more.

“You’re alive,” he repeated, quietly. Her gaze softened and she raised a hand, letting it hover by his arm. With a strangled sound, he felt himself move forward and wrap his arms around her, holding her tightly. He buried his face in her hair, inhaling the sharp tang of stress and rage; he wondered what had happened, what had taken them from him, what had hurt her so.

She relaxed in his hold, her hands light against his shoulders, some of the tension leaving her. They weren’t ones for public displays of affection, they’d never been; they weren’t even ones for _private_ displays of affection, not like this, but he didn’t care. He didn’t care that half the posse was staring, taken aback, perhaps wondering if they should apprehend him. Laura needed this just as much as he apparently did.

With a delighted, shrill “ _Daken!”_ , Gabby finally reached them too and joined the hug, grabbing the both of them and hanging on like a lifeline. He extricated himself gently from Laura’s hold to look down at the kid, his chest clenching painfully.

Gabby looked worse than Laura. There was something sharp in her eyes, as if some innocence had been taken from her. Oh, he’d gotten a glimpse of it sometimes, he knew it was already there from her upbringing; but she’d always managed to let her cheerful outlook on life win out.

He hated what had struck that dead. He would kill whoever had done that, if she asked.

Their absence hadn’t taken its toll just on him. They were frayed, shell-shocked now that the frenzy of the battle was dissipating. What horrors had they lived through?

What horrors had the entire team that had vanished lived through, for that matter? Looking around, Daken saw much the same expressions on the assembled revived X-Men, ranging from fury to cold rage. Some were even shaking.

He looked down again. “Gabby,” he said softly, some measure of self-control finally regained. He’d be strong for the little one, at least. “It’s good to see you.”

“I missed you!” she bawled, hiding her face against his stomach, her fists tightening around his shirt and Laura’s costume. Laura placed a hand on Gabby’s shoulder, warm and comforting. “But I’m glad you weren’t there, that was… that was...”

“It’s over now, Gabby,” Laura murmured. She shuddered; Daken squeezed her arm and she sighed, resting her head on his shoulder.

He wanted to ask; but he’d give them time. They’d tell him eventually.

Now that they were here, he could find his footing again. He could be there for them, as Laura had been there for him so many times.

Movement and a scent hitting his nostrils made him stiffen. He didn’t need to look up to know that Logan had joined their little bubble.

They hadn’t spoken in years. The last time they’d seen each other – the last time they’d been both alive, and of sound mind – it hadn’t ended well.

So many years had passed. Daken didn’t quite know what to make of this, of the absence of accusations being thrown his way; of the absence of that stark hate coursing in his own veins.

He dared looking up. Logan was staring: less at their embrace – as he’d had weeks perusing Daken’s texts to Laura to wrap his head around the relationship they’d built after Logan’s death – and more at the sorry state Daken was in, especially the hideous sideburns he hadn’t bothered to shave in weeks.

Daken held his father’s gaze, daring him to say anything, and tightened his hold on his sisters.

Logan nodded, grim and resolute, and took a step forward. Daken moved to give him some space, enough for him to join the hug on Laura and Gabby’s side without touching Daken.

Logan stared, frozen, and then closed the distance between them.

Daken didn’t know what to make of this, he didn’t yet know if he could manage to accommodate Logan into his life just like that.

But for now, Laura and Gabby needed them both. Laura exhaled when Logan hesitantly wrapped an arm around her, and Gabby immediately included him in her ferocious hug.

It was a strange family, theirs; but a family it was.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are always welcome. Do tell me your thoughts! ^-^


End file.
